October 29, 2008

Back to basics

While I have an interest in how this election plays out, I think that it's time to return to my second love: brewing beer. Physics, of course, is my first love, which is why, of course, I had to pick a second love that wasn't a person. Lookin' for love in all the wrong places? Well, the physics department is one of those wrong places.

I noticed the awful news about Dean Barnett's death just minutes after Bill Kristol posted it over at the Weekly Standard. While it might sound strange to say, since I never had the opportunity to meet him, I will miss Dean. A lot. He was funny, insightful and full of life, notwithstanding- or maybe because of- the lifelong illness which finally claimed his life.

My recipe is pretty old. It was originally for 4 cheesecakes(I used to work in a commercial kitchen), but the quantities have been scaled back for a single cake. When I cooked for a living, almost no one else made pumpkin cheesecakes. Now, it seems like everyone and their brother makes their own, including the big warehouse stores such as Costco. Whatever. This recipe is the best.

3) Add flour and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. I suggest using the beater attachment on your mixer, but it's up to you.

4) Grease a springform pan(10" preferred, but 9" will also work). Press the ginger snap mixture into the pan to form the crust. Pour mixture into the crust-lined pan; gently shake to remove air bubbles. Bake in 350 degree oven in a water bath until the center is set.

***Note: If you have trouble with the cheesecake cracking, lower the temperature of the oven to 300F and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, open the door for one minute, close the door and then let the cheesecake sit in it for about 45 minutes. Chill before serving.

October 22, 2008

"But I promise you, if one of these inevitable nuclear attacks is, God forbid, successful, Barack Obama and I will conduct tough and open negotiations with our new overlords," said Biden. "Ol' Joe Biden learned how to negotiate at his dad's used car lot in Scranton PA, and if these overlords think they can swing some sort of lowball occupation deal, I'll just tell them 'I gotta go get my manager,' and then... boo-yeah! In comes Barack Obama to upsell them undercoating and extra exercise yard privileges for you and me."

After rubbing tapioca into his armpits and singing what appeared to be the Numa-Numa song, Biden mounted a Segway and crashed through a side door.

A spokesman for the Obama-Biden campaign later clarified the Senator's remarks, and urged reporters "not to take Senator Biden's words out of context."

When asked what context that was, the spokesman explained that "the Senator has massive brain damage."